A Rube Goldberg® machine stalls.
Plan and carry out an investigation that shows the cause and effect relationship between the speed of an object and the energy it possesses.
In a Rube Goldberg® machine, moving objects collide with stationary objects.
Click here for NGSS, CCSS (ELA), and California ELD standards.
In prior lessons, students observed movement in a Rube Goldberg® machine and transitioned their conversation from contact forces to energy being present whenever there are moving objects. Students looked for cause and effect relationships that explained change within a system by identifying where the energy comes from, what the energy does, and where the energy goes.
In this lesson, students notice patterns and cause and effect relationships by observing what energy does as it transfers to describe energy in terms of speed and collisions. They plan and conduct an investigation about the relationship between speed and energy and the impact of collisions on objects. Students also construct an explanation using evidence from their investigation to support the claim that faster-moving objects have more energy. Finally, they recall the failed Rube Goldberg® machine from Lesson 2: Oops! and propose a solution.
In the next lesson, students will apply their understanding of energy to explore the transformation of energy in sound, light, or heat. They continue using cause and effect to view how energy changes.
Throughout the lesson, a flag () denotes formative assessment opportunities where you may change instruction in response to students’ level of understanding and making sense of phenomena.
Part I | 10 minutes | Engage |
Part II | 30 minutes | Explore 1 |
Part III | 60 minutes | Explore 2 |
Part IV | 45 minutes | Explore 3 |
Part V | 45 minutes | Explain |
Part VI | 60 minutes | Elaborate |
Part VII | 15 minutes | Evaluate |
Answer questions and identify possible cause and effect relationships (speed of a moving object) in a Rube Goldberg® machine.
Carry out investigations that explore patterns of how energy can move from place to place in moving objects.
This is “constructive playtime” for students to explore the ways in which these objects interact. Don’t tell them what to do with the materials. Instead, look for students setting up and knocking down dominoes, using the marbles to knock down dominoes, and using the rulers and blocks as ramps for marbles to knock down the dominoes or collide with other marbles.
Collaboratively plan an investigation to explore the cause and effect relationship of the speed of an object to the energy it possesses.
If students have planned an investigation before, they should be adept at identifying the phenomenon, the data that can serve as evidence, and understanding the idea of controls and variables. When scientists conduct an experiment, they test one thing at a time. The thing they change is called a variable. They want to see what happens when that one thing is changed. Everything else is controlled to be the same so that it does not influence their results.
If this is the students’ first attempt at planning an investigation, take the time to help students understand these components of planning an investigation.
The following plan is provided as an example. Your students may construct a different way to do this investigation.
The following items are part of the plan:
Collaboratively plan an investigation to explore the cause and effect relationship of the speed of an object to the energy it possesses.
Analyze data to construct an explanation of the observed cause and effect relationship between the speed of an object and its energy.
The purpose of the claim and evidence at this point is to help students understand:
The evidence from the experiments/investigations/videos is appropriate to the claim. The evidence could be stronger by repeating the experiments with different materials.
Predict outcomes about patterns in the changes in energy when objects collide.
For Steps 25 and 29 have groups film their tests with a tablet if possible. In that way they can watch their recordings several times during partner discussions and the class discussion.
Use evidence based on patterns to solve a problem relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object.
RUBE GOLDBERG® is a registered trademark of Rube Goldberg, Inc. All materials used with permission. rubegoldberg.com